it’s got nothing to do with the first amendment.
Perjury is a crime.
Whether its performed from a person to the court, or a person to the public for the purpose of attaining office. Or by a person in office to the public.
Perjury is a crime.
Of course it does. The First Amendment was specifically intended for political speech. It is there specifically so that criticism of those in power (whether truthful or not) cannot be criminalized. That would be the result of a law such as what was proposed. ANY criticism of those in power would be met with accusation of lying and the candidate making that criticism would be convicted and jailed.
The person would not ACTUALLY have to be lying; those already in power could simply use the threat of prosecution to suppress political speech by opposing candidates. The Founders understood this and therefore ensured that those in power could not abridge the right of opposing candidates to speak freely.